Celebrate Community-Supported Agriculture on Feb. 23 with ICT Food Circle
February 23, 2018
Wichita, Kansas – Are your New Year’s resolutions already in the rearview mirror? If so, you’re not alone, but you still have time to make good on those resolutions. ICT Food Circle is pleased to band together with farms and organizations for the third annual CSA Day on February 23. Join other like-minded people around the country who are committed to:
• eating healthful foods and preparing them for their families;
• supporting their local farmer;
• being kind to our planet;
• learning something new; and
• being adventurous in the kitchen.
CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a subscription to a season’s worth of sustainable, locally grown produce that is distributed to members throughout the harvesting season. It is a form of investment that allows small farmers to continue growing on a scale that may not be sustainable without the CSA model. CSA members enjoy the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables for their family, while supporting their local farmer.
According to Small Farm Central’s CSA Farming Annual Report, the most popular time to join a CSA each year is at the end of February. To promote this important time for farmers, CSA Day was coined, and each year it falls on the last Friday in February. It’s an entire day dedicated to the celebration of community-supported agriculture, and CSA farmers enjoy an influx of sign-ups from members, which gives them revenue when they need it most for the growing season.
Getting food from a CSA is different from going to a farmers market or using a grocery delivery service. As a CSA member, you make a seasonal commitment to a small farmer in your area, and the produce is either delivered to your door or you pick it up at a local distribution center. CSA members take pleasure in knowing where and how their food is grown, and typically have an open line of communication with their farmer.
“Community-supported agriculture is all about relationships and feeding families,” said Simon Huntley, CEO of Small Farm Central, a company that provides marketing support for small farms and started CSA Day. “CSA farmers typically teach members what’s in season throughout the year, and help them appreciate and cook food to which they may not otherwise be exposed.”
How to Get Involved with CSA Day
If you would like to celebrate CSA Day and support a local farm and CSA, sign up for a share on February 23, and use the hashtag #CSAday to join the online conversation.
“We have several local CSAs,” says Rebecca McMahon, horticulture agent with K-State Research & Extension-Sedgwick County. “Each CSA is a little bit different and you can compare them to find which will best meet your needs. CSAs aren’t for everyone, but they are a great way to support a local farmer and experience the range of local produce. You can learn about some of our local CSA farms by visiting the Local Food Directory on the ICT Food Circle website at www.ictfoodcircle.org.”
About ICT Food Circle
ICT Food Circle was started in 2015 with the goal of connecting local food producers with consumers in the Wichita area. K-State Research & Extension-Sedgwick County started managing the program in spring of 2017. Learn more about our local food producers and how to buy local at www.ictfoodcircle.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ictfoodcircle to get weekly updates on what is in season and see features from local farmers.
About Small Farm Central and CSA Day In 2006, Simon Huntley combined his passion for helping small farmers and his experience in technology to found Small Farm Central. The organization serves the technology needs of small business farmers, including websites, ecommerce, CSA member management and marketing tools. Small Farm Central coined CSA Day in February 2015 to celebrate local agriculture among CSA members and farmers. Small Farm Central has worked with more than 1,000 farms across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit www.smallfarmcentral.com and www.csaday.info.
For more information on local CSAs and ICT Food Circle, call Rebecca McMahon at 316-660-0142 or e-mail [email protected].
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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansas. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan.
Rebecca McMahon, Horticulture 316-660-0100
K-State Research & Extension Sedgwick County
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K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating.
